Mother of suspects in rape-murder of Lewis Co. teen changes plea to guilty

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1:09 pm PDT, Friday, August 10, 2018

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Kindra Adamson pleads guilty to rendering criminal assistance in the death of a 16-year-old Lewis County teen, Aug. 10, 2018.

Kindra Adamson pleads guilty to rendering criminal assistance in the death of a 16-year-old Lewis County teen, Aug. 10, 2018.

Photo: KOMO News Photo

Mother of suspects in rape-murder of Lewis Co. teen changes plea to guilty

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CHEHALIS, Wash. - The mother of two brothers charged with raping and murdering a 16-year-old Lewis County boy pleaded guilty Friday to rendering criminal assistance in the case as the victim's family looked on.

Kindra Rose Adamson, 43, earlier had pleaded not guilty to two counts of providing criminal assistance in the death of 16-year-old Ben Eastman of Randle, but she decided to change her plea.

She now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but under state sentencing guidelines she more likely will be facing a prison term of 12 to 14 months. Sentencing will come at a later date.

Prosecutors say Kindra Adamson learned of Eastman's death shortly after it happened, on June 23 or 24, and delayed the law enforcement investigation into the murder while her sons, Jonathan Adamson, 21, and Benny Marquez, 16, fled the area.

The two brothers are accused of murdering and raping the teen. The case has shocked Lewis County, a mostly rural area of small towns, forests and farms.

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According to court documents, Jonathan Adamson and Marquez invited Eastman to go camping with them, then brutally beat, kicked, raped and murdered him.

Afterwards, the prosecution alleges the pair hit him some more with a large rock to ensure he was dead and then buried him, and burned his clothing. The court documents allege the brothers worried the gravesite would be discovered, removed the body and buried it elsewhere on the family's property.

Their mother was arrested July 10 and charged with two counts of rendering criminal assistance in the first degree.

Jonathan Adamson's girlfriend, Emma Brown, also has been arrested in the case, on suspicion of rendering criminal assistance. Prosecutors say she also knew about the killing but withheld that information from investigators, according to court documents.

Jonathan Adamson and Marquez are charged with rape, murder, tampering with physical evidence, and unlawful disposal of remains.